Each year, a volunteer in sport produces more than £16,000 worth of social value to communities in the UK, new research has shown.

Join In’s report, Hidden diamonds: uncovering the true value of sport volunteers, set out to establish the true worth of one volunteer in sport.

Researchers looked at the economic value of the time given, the value of personal wellbeing it brings to both volunteer and athlete, and even the reduced NHS costs this leads to.

Sports volunteering has a wide-ranging impact – it is the single biggest sector of volunteering in UK, with 3.2 million people regularly giving up their time. And, on average, sports clubs have one volunteer to every 8.5 members. Whatever the focus or role of the volunteer, they clearly play a critical role in UK sport.

To find out a little more about the benefits for volunteers and sports stars, we spoke to European Champion Jo Pavey and volunteers Peter Gore and Mel Woodards.

‘At every level, volunteers are making it happen’

How have volunteers impacted your career?For me, volunteers have been absolutely crucial to my career and I can definitely say I wouldn’t have had a running career if it wasn’t for volunteers. Going back to when I first ever started running and went along to my local athletics club, there were absolutely loads of lovely volunteers there who let me try out all different events and then I found that I really liked distance running.

In those early competitions, volunteers were time-keeping and maintaining all the grounds – it gave me a chance to have my career. Being able to fulfil my dreams is all down to the volunteers. I was able to have a career as an athlete but at every level, the volunteers are making it happen, even going as far as 2012. It was the volunteers who made the Olympics happen, everything they did was amazing.

Are volunteers still ‘crucial’ now, at your level?At this stage, my husband and I work very closely [together], and he coaches me now. But, we are still involved with the coaches at the athletics club and volunteers are still maintaining the club I am a member of.

Some of the qualifying races I do earlier in the year, which enable me to get the qualifying time for championships, are all being run by volunteers – time-keepers, people making tea and coffee, maintaining the track. They are enabling me to have my career now, as well as being such a crucial part of me having a career in the first place.

Do you have a volunteer hero?I’d say my first coach, Tony White, from Exeter. I am still in contact with him and ring him up on a regular basis. He helped me to realise that I could be an athlete by the training he did with me while I was young. He’s an amazing person himself. Tony lost his eyesight and still walks five miles every day with his guide dog, and he is the main carer for his wife even though he is blind. He is just a totally inspirational person.

‘To be able to give something back to people who suffer like I suffer is high on my list of achievements’

Peter Gore, volunteer – Bolton Rugby Union Club

Photograph: Join In

What does your volunteering role entail?Officially, I am the administrative manager of the under-17s team. I am also deputy junior chairman, connections partner and I coordinate all the community work the club does. So, very little really!

How did you get involved?I started when my son started to play. He foolishly said to the coach: “Oh, my Dad used to play,” and I’ve been volunteering and coaching ever since. This was six or seven years ago.

How has your life benefited from volunteering?I stopped work a few years ago because I suffer from depression and stress. It really gives me something positive to do. While full-time work was driving me to distraction, this gives me the ability to still be positive. It is a reason to get up in the morning if nothing else.

What has been your biggest achievement while volunteering?Over the last few years, we’ve worked with about 47 local schools. One of those is a school where the students have left mainstream education because they suffer from mental health issues.

They are coached on a weekly basis and it gives them an awful lot they don’t usually get in their lives. To be able to give something back to people who suffer like I suffer is on high on my list of achievements.

Who is your sporting hero?Though my Dad comes a close second, I think John Peter Rhys Williams is my sporting hero. I played the same position and tackled with the same ferocity (I’m told) as he did. He was also a doctor and I remember he once saved the life of a fellow player by clearing his airways when he was knocked unconscious.

‘Volunteering has saved my life without a shadow of a doubt’

Mel Woodards, volunteer – Milton Nomads Junior Football Club and SNYFL (Somerset North Youth Football League)

Mel Woodards at her club, Milton Nomads JFC. Photograph: Join In

What does your volunteering role entail?I started by collecting subs for my son’s team which lead to me becoming team manager, a fundraiser and then the first female chairman of the club.

How did you get involved?I am a survivor of domestic abuse and was receiving counselling and help from my local GP and social workers. They were looking for a woman to coach children who were still living in domestic abuse. That is how I first got involved in coaching. It was around the same time that my son, Charlie, started to play for Milton Nomads so I started to volunteer for both teams.

How has your life benefited from volunteering?Volunteering in a grassroots sports club is the ying to the yang of domestic abuse. Everything domestic abuse takes away from you – self-esteem and confidence – volunteering gives back. It has been my greatest counselling and without a doubt has saved my life.

What has been your biggest achievement while volunteering?My biggest achievement in terms of football is setting up the SNYFL mini-league. We were hoping to offer structural football to 100–200 kids in its first season. Having just started our second season, we have signed 1,000 players to the league.

On a personal level, it was to get the Point of Light award from the prime minister. To be recognised by David Cameron was phenomenal.

Who is your sporting hero?Gary Lineker – he is my dream man! My car is called Lineker, my cat is called Lineker. I am a massive Spurs fan and I love that fact that he was never booked through the whole of his professional career. He has the greatest legs known to man.

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